Hong Kong Studies Malaysia's Higher Education System

18 January 2010

Hong Kong educators are impressed with the diversity of Malaysia’s private higher education services, especially with the constructive involvement of the private sector.

Permanent Secretary for Education Mr Raymond Wong said Hong Kong had much to learn from Malaysia’s successes in developing the private higher education sector.

“Although we have strong private sector support with some high-achieving public universities, we only have one private university in Hong Kong. We want to expand this, hence we are learning from others like Malaysia and Singapore,” he said recently.

The delegation, consisting members of Hong Kong’s Special Administrative Region’s Education Bureau and the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Singapore, were guests of the Ministry of Higher Education.

The delegation visited Monash University Sunway campus as part of a study tour of private universities in the country.

Mr Wong said that last year, his government decided to develop the country’s higher education services, which included diversifying tertiary education through active private sector engagement.

Monash University Sunway campus Director of Administration Dr Matthew Sukumaran, who received the delegation, said the collaboration between the university the Sunway Group has proven to be beneficial to both joint venture partners.

Both parties, he said, have brought their individual business strengths to the partnership: the Sunway Group’s diversified businesses in education, healthcare and construction marries well with Monash University’s strength in Australian education.